Firefighters from unit 24 help each other get through the strenuous training.

This week every firefighter in the county will partake in a training session concentrating on the wall breach maneuver and forcible entry.

Dressed in full gear and helmets, they broke through walls and crawled through them in teams.

All 52 of the firefighters from the five Palm Coast Fire Department stations went through a training procedure Aug. 11-13 in an old, abandoned building off Bulldog Drive. The building, which is now owned by the city of Palm Coast, is scheduled to be demolished at the end of August to make way for potential new restaurants or retail stores.

The training involved breaking through concrete and drywall, as well as practicing forcible entry for use in residential and commercial scenarios.

The training seminar brought five teams in each day with an average of three to four firefighters per team. Each firefighter learned and practiced how to breach a wall with imaginary live wires embedded within them.

The abandoned building gave the Fire Department, which has been in existence since 1973, a unique opportunity to simulate these rare situations.

On average, a firefighter goes through 192 hours a year of hands-on training. Certain positions within each department require more extensive training, such as 12 additional hours for both officers and drivers.